Raw ingredients trump recipes every time; farmers and ranchers who coax the best from the earth can make any of us appear to be a great cook. JR

Twenty years ago, having recently arrived in San Francisco and feeling the financial sting of a first and last months’ rent and security deposit, the plan was made that as soon as the checkbook took a rest, we’d dine at Zuni Cafébecause that was THE place to get a taste of the iconic California cuisine that in part fueled the pull westward. This was my kind of eating. Food that didn’t stretch too deep to the side of unusual but was far from typical and showcased the fresh ingredients that California is known for. Continue reading →

This is a great all-season recipe that handles many variations, an especially useful feature for making a last-minute meal and avoiding a trip to the store. Raw frozen shrimp is available at most supermarkets and is a good thing to have on-hand in the freezer. Check that it’s peeled and deveined to spare you the task. You can take or leave the mushrooms. Spinach can stand in for kale. Pasta can replace quinoa. And in summer, whole cherry tomatoes are a great alternative for the canned San Marzanos. Whatever way you go, it’s full of flavor and an excellent leftover.

For defrosting the shrimp, the package instructions typically indicate that a slower thaw is preferred but the quick way works fine too. The easiest way is to put the shrimp in a bowl in the morning, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate until dinner. If they’re still slightly frosty, you can place them in a colander, rinse with water and then let drain before putting in the bowl to marinate. For the quick thaw, run under cold water in a colander for 6-8 minutes and then drain and proceed.

Because you’ll be adding ingredients every couple of minutes, it helps to take the time to pull everything together before you start.

Begin with quinoa or pasta preparation. Then marinade the shrimp.

After sautéing onions, mushrooms, garlic, herbs and salts, crush the tomatoes individually over the pan.

Next add greens, either kale or spinach, and blend in slowly until wilted.

Add the raw shrimp last, heating it in the sauce just until it turns pink.

Add raw shrimp

And fold into sauce

You’ll find this sauce is even better the next day. Keep the quinoa stored separately. Enjoy!

2 large handfuls of fresh Spinach, stems removed, or 10-12 Kale Leaves, stem and rib removed and cut in ribbons

1/2 cup Milk, Cream or combination

Fresh Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Fresh Basil, sliced (optional)

PREPARATION

Thaw shrimp according to package instructions. See notes in post above.

When defrosted and drained, place in a bowl and toss with olive oil, regular or herb salt, black pepper, thyme, and lemon zest and juice. Optional: Add ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes for an extra kick. Let flavors meld until the sauce is prepared.

Heat a large sauté pan or pot over medium flame and add 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Heat for a minute and add onion. Stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes until slightly soft.

Crush tomatoes with your hands and add to sauce. Use just the tomatoes and not the liquid. Stir to combine.

Add spinach or kale and stir occasionally for 2-4 minutes until wilted.

Add shrimp and fold into the sauce. Cook until shrimp has just turned pink, about 5 minutes.

Stir in ½ cup milk, cream or a combination and stir for 30 seconds to blend in.

Remove from heat.

Fish out garlic cloves.

Serve over quinoa or pasta.

Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese and basil.

NOTE: This is a great make-ahead recipe. When ready to serve, just reheat on the stovetop. If you are planning to eat the same day, slightly undercook the shrimp so that they don’t get overdone when reheated. Excellent leftovers.

My friend Nat lived in San Francisco when my daughter was born and I was just over the bridge. Since she was the only person I knew living close by who had a baby, we quickly became allies as we dealt with an identity shift and a new life focus. Continue reading →

I haven’t prepared tuna in a while but when I went to the farmers market the other day, this steak was beckoning. And I recalled having made a hit of a meal with mushrooms a long time ago for family in Massachusetts. Continue reading →

With the great variety of spring vegetables surfacing at the Farmers Market and not enough time to prepare each one in some new way, we’ve been making a lot of stir fries. I don’t have a wok but have found that a frying pan works well too. The beauty of this type of preparation is its simplicity and versatility. You can use any combination of veggies and add either uncooked or leftover chicken, beef, pork or fish (if already cooked, add toward the end). Then incorporate whatever seasoning you like. With the recipe below, the leeks, onions, mushrooms and garlic hold so much flavor that very little additional spicing is needed. Continue reading →

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The Real Deal Marin is your source for finding the best in food, whether eating in or dining out. You will find recipes with a clean and simple preparation, restaurants and purveyors that focus on authenticity and reports on efforts to build a better food system.

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